TRU PRO (formerly Tier One Sports)

[TypeRx]

FW is a very sharp string.

Just didn't want you to waste stringing fees and a half set of FW. Putting a smooth poly cross seems to work well with FW. I have tried three different smooth polys, and Cream is a 4th option.

I just like Head Hawk and always have. It is a slick low powered dead cross that works great with Natural Gut and shaped / edged polys.

Understood and appreciate your advice / looking out. I have ~800 ft of Firewire and a full reel of Gosen Micro and I string myself so there is little harm in experimentation. If the Gosen doesn't work out or breaks quickly (I like to restring after every couple weeks or so anyways), I'll investigate a different cross. I love the comfort of the Firewire Boost but want to see if I can even further enhance control/feel and since NEOs isn't available by the reel (and there are other options out there), I am open to trying different hings. Head Hawk is very pricey, but I might try it at some point.

 

[g4driver]

I get head hawk at a greatly discounted price. $125 a reel & 660'/ 16.5 feet per cross makes it a great value.

660' / 16.5'= 40 sets of crosses (16x18/19 pattern)

$125/40 = $3.13 per cross string

 

[g4driver]

I get head hawk at a greatly discounted price. $125 a reel & 660'/ 16.5 feet per cross makes is great.

660/16.5 = 40 sets of crosses
$125/40 = $3.13 per cross string

 

[DrumWizOHBD]

I have FW 17 crossed with Prince Tour XC 17L in my POG OS and enjoying it quite a bit. I also have 18 and 16 gauge to try.

I also really like the Tour XC as cross with Firewire Main.

 

[jonestim]

I also really like the Tour XC as cross with Firewire Main.

I think it may be better with Big Hitter Black Zone, but I have 3/4 of a reel of Tour XC left to burn through

 

[Moosch]

I think it may be better with Big Hitter Black Zone, but I have 3/4 of a reel of Tour XC left to burn through

jonestim, have you tried the regular Big Hitter Black also by chance?

 

[Doppelganger]

I just strung up one of my Donnay's with the T1 Black Knight in the crosses along with HEAD Velocity in the mains. I cannot speak to the longevity of this setup, as I've only hit with it twice, but so far it feels great! It's really a good blend of power and feel, with decent spin potential. I have a set of WeissCannon Silverstring on deck to try next, and I'm curious as to which I'll end up liking better in the cross. So far so good with the Black Knight though. Hopefully it doesn't eat into the mains here pretty soon...

 

[jonestim]

jonestim, have you tried the regular Big Hitter Black also by chance?

You mean Big Hitter Black 7? It feels a bit wire like while being strung, but is soft once in there. Sound is a bit pingy. Plays with a ton of spin and quite high power and then dies too quickly. I have used it on probably 4-5 occasions and every time I string it up I think "Wow.... i'm buying a reel of this stuff." Then I get a couple hours in and it looses it's magic, then it gets crappy. I feel like FireWire stays playable for at least twice as long, if not more.

 

[LocNetMonster]

Who advised putting 18 Gosen Micro with FW ? [emoji102].

I did

The secret is stringing the crosses right

 

[brettatk]

I have a $50 off code for a reel that I'm not going to use. It expires today though. If you want it send me a PM and I'll send you the code. First one to contact me gets it.

 

[TypeRx]

I did

The secret is stringing the crosses right

Just a joke or is there really an optimized technique? I am stringing it up tomorrow and will play Thursday evening -- Thanks!

 

[rogerroger917]

Lol at Nima. Famous 4.0. Sorry guys that's too much. Lmao.

 

[LocNetMonster]

Just a joke or is there really an optimized technique? I am stringing it up tomorrow and will play Thursday evening -- Thanks!

I don't know if it is optimizing, but this is what I found to work well:

After threading a cross string, before applying tension. I push/pull the loose string so that it touches the previously tensioned string. When you then pull tension on the string, as it slides into position, the hypotenuse or adjacent angle of the string will rotate and rest on the cross string. Stringing all the crosses this way puts all right angles (sharp edges) of Firewire facing up on the face of the string bed. Since I started pushing the crosses up before pulling tension, in all of the Firewire sticks brought to me for restringing it is the main that snap and generally one of the middle four.

I think this method also create a more consistent response from my own experience with it done this way; and with more sharp edges to bite the ball, more spin is created. Using a soft string like OGSM, instead of a poly cross, doesn't notch Firewire as quickly so the string job will last a little longer. With OGSM as a cross resting on the long side of the triangle shape, Firewire will gradually shave a way at that string or any other soft cross. In my 16x19 Pure Control/Storms, I have yet to break a string before it dies using this method, which is something I can't say prior to adopting this method.

 

[TRU PRO Official]

Just posted about my outing tonight vs Nima. Lost the match, but beating Nima is not easily done in singles or doubles. I have more luck in doubles as I avoid him when possible.

Question for you @mikeler and @TierOneSportsOfficial --

Do either you notice any difference between the red and black versions of 1.30mm FireWire? About to order another reel of 1.30mm in Black if it plays like the 1.30mm Red. Thanks for the $50 off coupon @TierOneSportsOfficial

The feedback we receive from customers is that the black FireWire might play a little bit smoother than the red version but the red might offer more access to spin. But this could just be a subjective experience related to the actual color. In case you give it at try let us know what you think the difference is. Welcome on the $50 off coupon [emoji12]

 

[g4driver]

Lol at Nima. Famous 4.0. Sorry guys that's too much. Lmao.

Not famous. Well known in the state and several posters on this forum who have lost to him and posted about it. Every see a guy just get stuck at a level and wonder year after year after year, why the guy isn't bumped? That is the case with him.. The threshold to generate a strike as a 4.0A player is thought to be around 4.2-- Nima gave a 4.5 guy who appealed down to 4.0A his third strike this spring which DQed the 4.0A at the State Championship.. maybe this helps you get a clearer picture . There are about five 4.0 men asked to play 9.5 combo with 5.5 men in our area. He is always one of them out of the 300+ 4.0 guys in town.

Another 4.0C closer to your "famous" is the guy who took down a 5.9C at the 4.5 Southern Sectionals in July of this year. .[emoji102] The 5.0C was playing under his 4.5 ESR. And yep, I posted a photo on here of the 5.9C guy's name, his 5.0C rating and his 2&3 lost to a 4.0C. 11 other 4.5 guys took singles losses to him in 2017.

 

[TypeRx]

Argh...so my trusty 25+ year old stringer finally bit the dust on me as I was calibrating it this morning...meaning I couldn't string up the FireWire / OGSM combo. Sucks because I have a couple sets to play tonight and wanted to check it out. Oh well...a new stringer is on order so I'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving to try things out. I'll definitely report back.

 

[djNEiGht]

Argh...so my trusty 25+ year old stringer finally bit the dust on me as I was calibrating it this morning...meaning I couldn't string up the FireWire / OGSM combo. Sucks because I have a couple sets to play tonight and wanted to check it out. Oh well...a new stringer is on order so I'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving to try things out. I'll definitely report back.

ouch

sorry to hear

What stringer did you have and what happened to it?

Also what is the new stringer?

 

[TypeRx]

ouch

sorry to hear

What stringer did you have and what happened to it?

Also what is the new stringer?

I am almost embarrassed to say, but I bought my first stringer just after high school (late 90's) for $100 and it was a godsend as I used to break strings up to twice a week. Because of this I generally used cheap nylon. In any case, the stringer is a Silent Partner e.Stringer. I am not exactly sure what happened -- either the motor burnt out or the tensioning switch died. Even if it is a simple fix, I've strung hundreds of times since I bought it so I've gotten all the use I could expect.

Since I am purely a rec player, just fine with floating clamps, and trying to keep expense down so the wife doesn't kill me, I purchased a Gamma X2.

 

[zaskar1]

Black Knight is shaped but not very sharp. It may be OK as a cross string but obviously a round string would work better as a cross.

i use black knight in a full bed on my 2017 PS97, not countervail, and it plays great! the only downside is that is streches out a bit, and you need to restring often, like in about 3 weeks

z

 

[TypeRx]

FYI, just got a Black Friday email from Tier 1. Their sale has started already...FW and FW Boost are only $6.95 -- no reason for anyone to not at least try it out! Reels of FW are <$90. Just go to their website (which I won't link here since it is not a TW site).

 

[Moonarse]

The feedback we receive from customers is that the black FireWire might play a little bit smoother than the red version but the red might offer more access to spin. But this could just be a subjective experience related to the actual color. In case you give it at try let us know what you think the difference is. Welcome on the $50 off coupon [emoji12]

Is your coupon of discount worth for the Italian branch too? I am really keen on trying your strings and planning on buying a couple of reels as I have a friend of mine living in Firenze that is coming back in december. I just sent an email to your european adress, do they normally read and answer quickly? Would you mind sending me a discount coupon too? planning on buy 2 firewire reels in Italy. Nice job with your gear, everyone praising the strings! keep going!!

 

[TypeRx]

**Update on FireWire 18awg mains and OGSM 18awg crosses**

Big thumbs up to LocNetMonster on his recommendation to try this somewhat unusual combo. In summary, great spin, touch, and comfort!

So, I purchased a new stringer and had a chance to string up one of my 2015 Babolat PD+ yesterday along with new grommets. I don't think I did all that well on the tension as this was the first time I used a drop weight (prior stringer was electric) and had a bit of a challenge stringing the mains (the dropweight wouldn't "fall" to level so I did nudge a bit, reset the string, etc. here and there). New grommets may have also screwed a bit with the tension. In the end, I am pretty sure I ended up with an undertensioned racket but what I had it set to was 50 lbs for the mains and 53 lbs for the crosses. There is the context.

I just completed a 1.5 hour match (ended up being 2 sets) + 45 minutes of ball machine/cooperative hitting and I have to say that this combo rates for me as (out of a possible 10):

• Power: 6/10 - I needed to generate all the power, which is fine. Similar to full bed Cyclone 18 awg...maybe a tad less powered than that.
• Spin: 10/10 - Wow, just ridiculous spin. I hit with a lot of topspin and was able to impart even more spin than I've experienced using Cyclone, Revolution, and even FW Boost. I don't slice all that much but they felt good as well.
• Control: 8/10 - Overall good control. I was hitting the lines and the baseline pretty easily. Serves were fine as were groundstrokes. The only abnormal thing was I did sail a few forehands if I wasn't careful with my grip (typically SW on forehands), which hasn't been a problem in the past. In this case I just put on a fresh Tourna Mega Tac and man is this overgrip sticky! Maybe too much "tac" exaggerated this. Not sure I love this overgrip..will need more getting used to.
• Touch: 9/10 - Big difference here vs. Cyclone. Much more touch and my dropshots benefited greatly as a result. In addition, volleys felt much more pocketed than usual.
• Comfort: 9/10 - I couldn't imagine a poly hybrid getting more comfortable. Very syn gut like. I developed GE symptoms using Cyclone and other strings in this racket. So far with this setup I am happy, but more long-term testing is needed. I will also say that the FW Boost was very comfortable when I tried it previously.
• Tension maintenance: 8/10 - I lost ~10% per RaquetTune 24 hours post stringing plus the 2 hours and 15 minutes of play. That is pretty acceptable, but next time I am sure I'll do a better job stringing.
• Longevity: 6/10 - The strings stopped snapping back perfectly after the first set, so I needed to manually move them back in to place. Not a big deal. But, in doing so I could feel that the strings were starting to notch. So, I'm not convinced I'll be able to go more than a couple matches before breaking. That doesn't matter much to me but is worth noting. I'll have to try LocNetMonster's stringing technique on my next go around.
• Misc: The OGSM is a delight to string as crosses due to its slickness and thin gauge. The FireWire was fine to string up...not my favorite/easiest to string but just fine. Cost of this setup is ~$4.50 per string job since I bought reels of both FW (~$80 since I had a $50 off coupon) and OGSM (~$40).

I still may try Head Hawk as a cross, but since the OGSM experiment worked well I am in no rush. I will string up my other PD+ with this combo (currently strung with Solinco Revolution 18 which is good but I think Cyclone 18 is a little better) in the next day or two in advance of my next match. I am going to stick with FW 50lbs/OGSM 53lbs but wonder if going like FW 47.5lbs/OGSM 50lbs will play better.

 

[djNEiGht]

(the dropweight wouldn't "fall" to level so I did nudge a bit, reset the string, etc. here and there)

keep practicing on the drop weight. You will find your sweet spot. I would avoid nudging it because that increases the tension.

 

[LocNetMonster]

... string up one of my 2015 Babolat PD+ yesterday along with new grommets. I don't think I did all that well on the tension as this was the first time I used a drop weight (prior stringer was electric) and had a bit of a challenge stringing the mains (the dropweight wouldn't "fall" to level so I did nudge a bit, reset the string, etc. here and there) ...

I find Babolat grommets quite unique. I've only strung one Pure Drive and a couple of Aeros. I can't remember if it does it with the older PDs, and it doesn't happen with the Aeros, but when doing the mains only on my Pure Control and Pure Storms, after releasing the clamp on the previous string the tension arm always drops below level and I have to add one click on the drop weight stringer. Now, I drop the weight until it is about 10-15º up from level. Then, when I unclamp, the arm generally falls to the level position. I've strung Wilson, Prince, Yonex and one Head last summer and I never had to readjust the tension arm after unclamping with the weight at level.

 

[LocNetMonster]

**Update on FireWire 18awg mains and OGSM 18awg crosses**
Big thumbs up to LocNetMonster on his recommendation to try this somewhat unusual combo. In summary, great spin, touch, and comfort!

Glad you liked it!

Careful, the spin Firewire produces is ridiculously addictive. There is nothing more satisfying then watching you opponent pull back and not hit a ball s/he thinks is going to be long by foot or two and then throw their heads back, eyes rolling, when the ball lands 6-12" inside the court. By golly, it puts a smile on my face every time FYI, Tier One's Tour Status will do this, too, but with not nearly the same vertical drop.

 

[TypeRx]

keep practicing on the drop weight. You will find your sweet spot. I would avoid nudging it because that increases the tension.

Yup, I knew better but the mains (FW) wouldn't really budge so I backed it off, tried again, gently dropped the weight, nudged, etc. etc. out of impatience. I do not believe I ended up with an increased tension...in fact, in the end I believe I ended up at around 45 lbs even though shooting for 50. My guesstimate is just based on my experience with how 50 lbs of FW feels in this this racket from my prior stringing jobs. I am sure the next go around will be much more accurate and after 3 or 4 times I'll be just about as good at the dropweight as I was at the electronic.

I find Babolat grommets quite unique. I've only strung one Pure Drive and a couple of Aeros. I can't remember if it does it with the olderwith the drop weight stringer PDs, and it doesn't happen with the Aeros, but when doing the mains only on my Pure Control and Pure Storms, after releasing the clamp on the previous string the tension arm always drops below level and I have to add one click on the drop weight stringer. Now, I drop the weight until it is about 10-15º up from level. Then, when I unclamp, the arm generally falls to the level position. I've strung Wilson, Prince, Yonex and one Head last summer and I never had to readjust the tension arm after unclamping with the weight at level.

I don't know if that is what happened, but I will say that getting the grommets in was a major PITA. I am not looking forward to replacing on my other racket, but at least this time experience should help me get things done quicker.

I am going to play on Thursday with my already strung FW/OGSM, and then string up my other and play with it during a Friday match. I'll report back....

 

[Tennis_Monk]

I recently tried the FireWire 18 string full bed and was very impressed. There’s quite a bit of bite and the strings provide decent power. One of the best all round strings I played— comfort, power, spin . The spin and power combo was better than ultra cable. The bite is unlike any other string.

I only got to play for couple hours ( but in a match) . I will get more time next week and hopefully will continue to stay impressed.

 

[TypeRx]

Strung up my other racket (2015 Babolat PD+) with the FW/OGSM combo at 50 lbs/53 lbs earlier today. I also used LocNetMonster's technique for the crosses. This time I am confident my stringing was much better and the tensioning pretty accurate. My prior attempt was ~6.5lbs less total tension just strung per RacquetTune (although I tried for the same 50/53 tension).

About 3 hours after stringing I hit for an hour with my ball machine and took ~150 serves. Pretty much same feedback as before -- this is a great combo due to spin potential, touch, and comfort. But, it is tough to really tell until hitting against another human. Tomorrow I am playing in the finals of a local ladder tourney so I'll report back.

 

[LocNetMonster]

For you alt-stringers, a heads up. Don't bother trying to string FW 17 and 18g at tensions north of 68#. .... I decide to try their Strike Force RIP instead,....

Tried to install another RIP set of mains and which sheered two strings back from the one I was pulling tension on. Lesson learned, 18g poly is not good candid for high tension stringing. Before giving up, I tried one more main installation with RIP at 65#. No problem and later it played as smooth as a baby's behind

 

[djNEiGht]

. Tomorrow I am playing in the finals of a local ladder tourney so I'll report back.

good luck

 

[TypeRx]

Unfortunately I lost in the finals earlier this evening but I played great...was simply outplayed. I had beaten my opponent twice before but he was REALLY on tonight. Oh well, so it goes.

So, here is the update on FW/OGSM at 50/53 lbs in my 2015 Babolat PD+.

Like last night when I hit with the ball machine, this setup was fantastic. So good that I can't wait to play again (on Sunday AM) with it! Here is some data/impressions to build on what I have previously shared.

Summary verdict - I am done experimenting with strings. I am not sure it will get any better for *me* in *my racket* than this setup. Sorry if I sound like a sales rep (I have no affiliation with Tier One and have paid for everything) but I am bordering on giddy right now.

• Power: 7/10 - a slight increase over what I previously reported. The strings were more lively than I previously experienced. Although I still needed to supply most of the power, I think there was slightly more juice than what I remember the last time I strung up Cyclone 18g. This was especially surprising as the temp was quite low (for here) - only 55 degrees F.
• Spin: 10/10 - Same as before. Unreal spin. Actually a downside if you are playing at night under bright lights because with every serve and groundstroke there was a lot of ball fuzz in the air near me, causing a distraction Seriously, it is like the amount of fuzz in the air caused by my ball machine. Unreal.
• Control: 8/10 - Slightly better control than what I experienced on my other racket with this combo at a ~6.5lbs lower tension (which had a much stickier overgrip resulting in some floaters from me not adjusting my grip as well as usual) but I'll leave the score the same. No floaters experienced and lots of lines hit!
• Touch: 9/10 - Same as before, the touch is great...almost like full bed syn gut. I love it. My volleys and dropshots are markedly improved with this setup...seriously.
• Comfort: 10/10 - okay, I am increasing my score on comfort. Let me explain. I have been suffering with GE symptoms for the past 3 months and have been wearing a brace, icing after, doing flexbar exercises, deep tissue massage with lacrosse balls, and applying heat to speed healing. The GE has improved over time but I still always wear a brace when playing. Well, tonight while warming up with my machine, taking serves, and then warming up with my opponent, I didn't wear a brace at all and felt absolutely no pain. So, I decided to play without my brace like a normal person! After playing for 2 hours..again, no pain at all! This is a massive advance for me. An absolute game changer. Topping it off, like I mentioned before the temperature was only 55 degrees F, so I am really surprised it was as comfortable as it was.
• Tension maintenance: 7/10 - Lowering this score slightly vs. before. After 1 hour yesterday with the ball machine and serves tension dropped 10.9% per RaquetTune. After 2 hours of play today tension dropped just over another pound, putting it at 14% lower than after stringing. I am only lowering the score because I experienced around a 10% drop after a similar amount of play with FW Boost.
• Longevity: 7/10 - Increasing my score as I didn't experience the notching after 1 set that I did on my other racket. After 2 sets the notching is apparent but minor. Also, snapback appears to be better than the first racket I strung as even after 2 sets I needed to adjust the strings very little.

I'll provide another update after my Sunday match, and then I am going to cut it out since I need to swap grommets and want fresh strings for my other league's playoffs late next week.

 

[LocNetMonster]

Summary verdict - I am done experimenting with strings. I am not sure it will get any better for *me* in *my racket* than this setup. Sorry if I sound like a sales rep (I have no affiliation with Tier One and have paid for everything) but I am bordering on giddy right now.

Congratulations on finding your Holy Grail! Good luck with your match tomorrow.

 

[LocNetMonster]

• Longevity: 7/10 - Increasing my score as I didn't experience the notching after 1 set that I did on my other racket. After 2 sets the notching is apparent but minor. Also, snapback appears to be better than the first racket I strung as even after 2 sets I needed to adjust the strings very little.

As you experienced, the key factor to longevity is how the crosses are set up before pulling tension given the shape of the string. Plus, it helps point the sharp edge out for more bite and allows the string to glide over crosses easier, thus cutting down the notching phenomena. I don't work for nor sponsored by the Tier One folks either, but their string really is the bomb.

 

[LocNetMonster]

• Comfort: 10/10 - okay, I am increasing my score on comfort. Let me explain. I have been suffering with GE symptoms for the past 3 months and have been wearing a brace, icing after, doing flexbar exercises, deep tissue massage with lacrosse balls, and applying heat to speed healing. The GE has improved over time but I still always wear a brace when playing. Well, tonight while warming up with my machine, taking serves, and then warming up with my opponent, I didn't wear a brace at all and felt absolutely no pain. So, I decided to play without my brace like a normal person! After playing for 2 hours..again, no pain at all! This is a massive advance for me. An absolute game changer. Topping it off, like I mentioned before the temperature was only 55 degrees F, so I am really surprised it was as comfortable as it was.

I blame the comfort on the OGSM 18g. I strung a racquet yesterday before doubles practice with FW 18g mains and Fortran 15g nylon in the crossses with a 21# differential. It felt harsher than my other set up with RIP 18g at 70# in the mains and OGSM 18g at 55# in the crosses. It was a ton of fun hitting low bh/fh slices, the nasty kind that skip like a stone a cross water, every chance I got.

 

[TypeRx]

Played another 2 sets with the FW/OGSM Combo at 50 lbs/53 lbs in my 2015 Bab PD+. After ~5 hours of play the strings are still okay but are definitely no longer fresh with much less snapback. Spin, comfort, control, power, etc were still good to excellent (slightly degraded but not in a major/problematic way), but I did feel compelled to straighten the strings in between points. Overall, tension loss after ~5 hours of play was 14.8% vs. new. I could have probably squeezed in another set or two on this set of strings but decided to cut them out since I needed to replace grommets and wanted fresh strings for some important matches this week. After cutting them out I could clearly see and feel grooves/notches in the FW mains. The OGSM had a lot of ball fuzz stuck to it and had lost a lot of slickness. Interesting as I would have expected the OGSM to be more "damaged" from the stiff and sharp FW, but guess not.

So, I am still very happy with this hybrid of FW and OGSM. I will plan on restringing after every 3-4 matches (~5-8 hours) which may seem a bit frequent, but since it is only ~$4.50 for string per change and I string myself it is well worth it.

 

[LocNetMonster]

The OGSM had a lot of ball fuzz stuck to it and had lost a lot of slickness. Interesting as I would have expected the OGSM to be more "damaged" from the stiff and sharp FW, but guess not.

Using my tensioning technique Firewire shaves the surface of the cross string instead of notching it. The shape edges of FW shaves the fuzz off and the rough surface from worn OGSM plucks loose fuzz off the ball.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

Played with the fw full bed strings some more. Even after 10 plus hours, No significant change in playability. Great spin, good power and comfort. My guess is I can easily go another two-three matches if not more.

Nit picking, my flat serves percentage dipped slightly as compared to my go to string, but kick serves are way more effective than ever been.

Is there any advantage to go hybrid on FireWire instead of full bed?

 

[djNEiGht]

Is there any advantage to go hybrid on FireWire instead of full bed?

IMO a hybrid with a smooth cross has longer snap back action and also the notching is less than a full bed

 

[mikeler]

IMO a hybrid with a smooth cross has longer snap back action and also the notching is less than a full bed

Yep, that's why I like Firewire Boost hybrid even better than a full bed of FW.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

Yep, that's why I like Firewire Boost hybrid even better than a full bed of FW.

What’s the effect or impact of longer snap back? More spin/power/etc

I’m inclined to try fire boost as well. Just trying to understand what difference would I see in a full bed FireWire VS fireboost.

 

[mikeler]

What’s the effect or impact of longer snap back? More spin/power/etc

I’m inclined to try fire boost as well. Just trying to understand what difference would I see in a full bed FireWire VS fireboost.

FW Boost lasts longer and is softer. Other than that, there are not significant differences to me.

 

[djNEiGht]

What’s the effect or impact of longer snap back? More spin/power/etc

I’m inclined to try fire boost as well. Just trying to understand what difference would I see in a full bed FireWire VS fireboost.

FW Boost lasts longer and is softer. Other than that, there are not significant differences to me.

What mikeler said...lasts longer. . I think that there might be less spin with a hybrid during a certain time of the string bed's life. If you have a powerful round poly it might add a bit more to the shot delivered in terms of power.

 

[LocNetMonster]

I’m inclined to try fire boost as well. Just trying to understand what difference would I see in a full bed FireWire VS fireboost.

FWIW, try Firewire mains and Prince XC in the crosses about 3-6 lower in tension than the mains. XC is really slick and you'll have a nice blend of control, power and spin with this set up if you mid-size head or smaller. My experience is the smaller the gauge the more comfortable it was to hit with, too.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

FWIW, try Firewire mains and Prince XC in the crosses about 3-6 lower in tension than the mains. XC is really slick and you'll have a nice blend of control, power and spin with this set up if you mid-size head or smaller. My experience is the smaller the gauge the more comfortable it was to hit with, too.

Thank you. I will keep this setup in mind.

Given the negligible difference,I’m probably going to back burner the boost option.

Definitely interested in options with FireWire that gives more control without sacrificing power or spin. FireWire/XC sounds like a decent option.

One other observation I have is I don’t recollect any luxilon like moments with FireWire. FW has great spin and etc but didn’t see those mind boggling spin / dip / bounce moments that we see when strung with fresh luxilon.

 

[mikeler]

Thank you. I will keep this setup in mind.

Given the negligible difference,I’m probably going to back burner the boost option.

Definitely interested in options with FireWire that gives more control without sacrificing power or spin. FireWire/XC sounds like a decent option.

One other observation I have is I don’t recollect any luxilon like moments with FireWire. FW has great spin and etc but didn’t see those mind boggling spin / dip / bounce moments that we see when strung with fresh luxilon.

I haven't tried every Luxilon but Firewire seems to have more nasty dip for me than any other string and I've tried quite a few:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/mikelers-polys.373884/

 

[Tennis_Monk]

I haven't tried every Luxilon but Firewire seems to have more nasty dip for me than any other string and I've tried quite a few:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/mikelers-polys.373884/

I’m a huge fan of your thread. Some of the strings I selected to try were based off your thread and subsequent responses.

I plan to keep FW on one of my sticks and give more time. This string is sitting at top of my stack now. Based off those 10 plus hours, I think a bit more control while keeping spin and power is all I need to make this my goto string.

 

[djNEiGht]

The teaching pro I'm working with used to hit with ALU Rough and said that FW gave him more dip and spin on his shots. He has however moved on to Diadem.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

The teaching pro I'm working with used to hit with ALU Rough and said that FW gave him more dip and spin on his shots. He has however moved on to Diadem.

Now that I played with FW, I played with all the three strings mentioned— FW, Diadem, Alu rough.

my personal experience is that I didn’t like diadem power at all. Under powered for me . Alu rough and FW are close spin wise.
It’s possible that fw is better spin — maybe I need to play more and get used to it and adjust.

 

[djNEiGht]

Now that I played with FW, I played with all the three strings mentioned— FW, Diadem, Alu rough.

my personal experience is that I didn’t like diadem power at all. Under powered for me . Alu rough and FW are close spin wise.
It’s possible that fw is better spin — maybe I need to play more and get used to it and adjust.

For a while I enjoyed low power poly strings but since I've had my pinched nerve I lost a lot of power on my FH.

My friend has a very nice game to watch. His movements look pretty close to Federer. He retooled his game to mirror RF. I would say if he didn't have to coach so much he could be a strong 4.5. There is another string that he is liking as well as the Diadem Solstice Pro (I think a bit more firm than Power and lower in power) which is LaserFibre Edge. He said he didn't like it at first but once the bed settled it was very nice.

 

[mikeler]

I will get around to writing a Tier One Black Knight review if I can ever break it. I only use it for doubles and knocking balls around. Since I play singles matches almost exclusively, it's taking me a long time to break it. It's really good too just not quite as much spin as FW.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

If you want to turn your racquet into a spin machine, put Firewire in the mains and put Tier One's Strike Force RIP in the crosses. The strings won't always line up neatly because of the grooves in RIP but if you can generate serious amounts of racquet speed, this combo will deliver a vicious vertical drop. The additional spin can really amplify the Magnus Effect on your heavy strokes and balls both you and your opponent will think sail two feet long will drop in with room to spare inside the baseline.

Is this combo more spinnier than full bed FireWire?